Shooting rampage botched when gun jams

July 31, 2009 10:02:43 AM PDT

BERLIN, Germany --

An 82-year-old man who planned a shooting rampage at a meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses was deterred because his submachine gun jammed, police said Friday. He was overpowered and arrested. The man entered the group's meeting hall in the western city of Bielefeld on Thursday evening, wielding the weapon, police said in a statement.

The hall was evacuated and the man quickly left the building, waving the gun as he walked toward his car. He was then overpowered by two Jehovah's Witnesses and arrested.

Police said the man also had a samurai sword and a knife.

Notes found during a search of the man's apartment suggested that he had intended to shoot into the crowd, according to police. Investigators believe that a technical defect prevented him from doing so.

He apparently blamed the Jehovah's Witnesses for the fact he had lost contact with his daughter years ago, police added.